We are looking for a Senior Lawyer to join our General Counsel Advice team. This is a hybrid role working from home and in our Birmingham or London Office.
What’s in it for me
- Work in a fast-paced environment at the forefront of legal services regulation; supporting the delivery of the SRA’s strategic objectives
- Deal with intellectually challenging matters in a complex legal framework
- Support the regulation of the profession, protecting and promoting the public interest, and help shape and implement our responses to new challenges
- Work on a variety of projects with teams across the SRA, using problem solving and analytical thinking to solve legal and practical problems
- A broad and varied workload, with a core focus on public law and regulatory policy development
- Advise colleagues from across the business on a whole range of discrete legal issues affecting the business, working within a close knit, friendly and supportive team
The team
The General Counsel Advice team is part of the General Counsel Directorate within the SRA. It is responsible for the provision of legal advice (apart from enforcement and employment law matters) to the SRA, staff, operational units and senior management.
The team plays a major role in providing strategic advice on a wide range of regulatory policy development projects for the SRA. It also provides support to the wider organisation and the operations of the SRA, dealing with legal issues and queries which arise. In recent years has played a key role in:
- The regulatory reform programme leading to the launch of the SRA Standards and Regulations in 2019
- The development and implementation of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination including policy and operational matters
- The establishment of the SRA as a separate legal entity
- Advising on the impact of Brexit and handling the consequential changes required to the SRA’s regulatory arrangements
- Advising on the impact of recent and ongoing activity in the space of sanctions and anti-money laundering
- Supporting the development of various changes to our regulatory arrangements including the implementation of new fining powers and the creation of the new rules and guidance related to wellbeing at work
The role
As a Senior Lawyer (Senior Legal Adviser as the role is known internally) in the General Counsel Advice team, you will provide high quality, effective and timely advice on queries received by the team.
This will include advising upon the legal obligations and regulatory powers available to the organisation, including interpreting statutes (including the Solicitors Act 1974, Administration of Justice Act 1985, and Legal Services Act 2007), delegated legislation and procedures, and how they practically apply to the work of the SRA.
You will help to provide innovative solutions to complex legal problems, touching on a variety of areas of law. This may include drafting new professional rules and guidance and advising on the SRA’s own operations.
You will work closely with our team members and others across the organisation, as well as with external stakeholders including external counsel and solicitors. You will supervise, mentor and coach others in the team, encouraging a high-performance culture by sharing knowledge and expertise across the team and wider business. In the future there may also be the opportunity to line manage other lawyers in the team.
The successful candidate will be a self-starter who is proactive, has a high level of attention to detail and can demonstrate a track record of delivering quality results.
What we are looking for
- Qualified Solicitor, Barrister or CILEX lawyer, admitted in England and Wales
- Experience of providing high quality strategic regulatory/public law advice and drafting in an equivalent regulatory and / or public law environment
- Track record of leading and delivering solutions, taking accountability for the successful and timely resolution of very complex issues
- Understanding of SRA objectives, key deliverables and how to connect this with the political landscape
- Pragmatic and able to work collaboratively with legal and non-legal colleagues, including at senior level
Useful and additional information
This is a hybrid role working from one of our offices 1-2 days a week and from home the rest of the week.
The General Counsel Advice team primarily based in our Birmingham offices. This is a hybrid role and can be based either in our offices in Birmingham or London 1-2 days a week, and from home for rest of the week. If based in London, regular travel will be required to the SRA’s Birmingham office.
We welcome applicants who may be looking to achieve a balance between their personal and professional life. We are looking to appoint on a full-time basis (35 hours per week), however will consider candidates seeking part time work. The team has a variety of working patterns, including compressed hours, and we would be happy to talk about flexible working. If you have any questions about the role or location or scope to work flexibly, please contact us via: [email protected]
To apply
Please click ‘apply’ to complete the online application form and upload a CV and cover letter, addressing how you meet the requirements of the role, in particular what is highlighted in the ‘what we are looking for’ section.
To find out more about the recruitment and selection process and how to make the most of your application, please visit our jobs pages.
Closing date for applications is 16 December 2024 at 09:00. We encourage any interested applicants to apply as soon as possible as we may choose to close the application period early if sufficient applications are received. Shortlisting and interview process will take place during January 2025
Previous unsuccessful applicants to this role within the past 6 months will not be considered.
The SRA is the independent regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales, protecting consumers and supporting the rule of law and the administration of justice. We do this by overseeing all education and training requirements necessary to practise as a solicitor, licensing individuals and firms to practise, setting the standards of the profession and regulating and enforcing compliance against these standards. We offer an inclusive, supportive and friendly working environment and the chance to develop your career within a professional organisation. We are committed to the health and wellbeing of staff, helping everyone to strike a good balance between personal and professional life.Additionally, we provide a generous flexible benefits package, including gym membership with a tax only cost, an excellent defined contribution pension scheme and an additional 3% of annual basic salary upon successful completion of probation. Attached Role ProfileGCAT Senior Legal Adviser - Role Profile Nov 2024.docx – 528KB Opens in a new window
Converted File GCAT Senior Legal Adviser - Role Profile Nov 2024.docx.pdf – 57KB Opens in a new window Vacancy closing date: 16/12/2024, 09:00
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Diversity and inclusion is central to everything we do. We are actively committed to promoting and participating in good practice in the way that we attract, recruit and retain staff.
Everyone is encouraged to bring their whole self to work because we appreciate the value that a truly diverse workforce brings to an organisation. We celebrate difference, recognising the benefits this brings to our inclusive culture, including age, disability, gender identity and expression, religion, race, sex, sexual orientation and socio economic background.
We are a Stonewall Top 100 Employer, a member of ENEI, a disability confident employer and we are happy to talk flexible working.
United Kingdom
